Last week, Massachusetts Speaker of the House Sal DiMasi stepped down after months of denying accusations in an ethics probe of influence peddling. He knew the truth was coming to light. Ah, but that didn't stop him.

Three weeks before the end, DiMasi sought and won re-election as speaker by a 135 to 25 vote, which we now learn added an extra $2,000 to his $59,000 to $71,000 annual pension.

Good jobs at good -- no, great -- wages. Where can I get one of those?

"Together we will work through these troubled times," he said in his acceptance speech Jan. 7 as if the troubled times had something to do with us, the people, as if the public created his ethical problems.

Ah, but his resignation had noting to do with the probe. His spokesman, David Guarino, told the New York Times that DiMasi decided recently to look for a job outside of politics, and he didn't want in the middle or end of the budget process to have a change in leadership.

Otherwise, he did it for us. Nice guy, eh? What a pal! I guess we should say thanks. Better yet, let's throw him a big send off. A parade may be in order. We can rent a Duck Boat so he can wave to crowds in a rolling rally down Boston's Boylston Street.

The nerve.

In the Bay State it has become common practice for pols to screw up, deny, deny, deny, and after months of public pressure, step down. But there's no apology. They continue to blame their problems on someone else, to pull out their best lie.

"I was standing there, uh, minding my own business. I was in a coffee shop and this $100 bill jumped up out of nowhere and flew into my shirt pocket. Yeah, that's the ticket."

Massachusetts has had three corrupt politicians step down in the past three months. Must be something in the water. Besides DiMasi, there's former state senators Diane Wilkerson (bribery) and J. James Marzilli Jr. (charged with trying to grope a woman on a park bench in Lowell).

Wilkerson, whose infamous photo stuffing money from an undercover FBI agent into her bra appeared in several newspapers, admitted in a Boston Globe interview last Sunday that she took $70,000 from friends and constituents. But it wasn't bribe money, she said, noting that she had a letter from the Ethics Commission that said it was OK.

"I have never, ever accepted money for any act as a senator," she said. "If they're going after corruption at the State House, I would be the 999th person on the list."

Earth to Diane. This is Captain James Kirk on the USS Enterprise. Can you hear me? We've got a problem up here, I mean down there.

On the national scene, we have former Illinois Gov. Rod R. Blagojevich, accused of trying to sell Barack Obama's vacant senate seat to the highest bidder, who was convicted in an impeachment trial Thursday and kicked out of office.

"I have done absolutely nothing wrong," he said. "Give me a chance to stay here so we can roll up our sleeves and continue to do good things for people."

What? Is he clueless? Does he think we're stupid? He's like most pols caught with their hand in the cookie jar.

While Blagojevich paid the ultimate price, most politicians know that the public has a short attention span. Want proof? Check back next year when Massachusetts state reps are up for re-election. I doubt a single one who voted for DiMasi for speaker will lose. Few will even have an opponent.

Sure, on occasion talk radio lights up with complaints, people write letters to the newspaper, or call their rep or senator to voice displeasure, but for the most part, we give them a pass.

Pols know that as long as they don't commit a major sin - take $250,000 from an oil company to remodel their home, accept a $100,000 bribe from an FBI informant to broker business deals in Africa, assault a Capital Hill police officer, or make a gesture to the guy in the next stall in an airport bathroom -- they'll get re-elected.

They play us for fools. Are we?

Jeff Adair is a Daily News writer and editor. He can be reached at jadair@cnc.com.